Alex Vaughn is an artist that has been on our radar for a minute. We first interviewed the proficient singer again in 2017 when she carried out at Sol Village, however rather a lot has occurred since that point. She signed a significant label cope with Interscope and LVRN (Summer season Walker, 6LACK) and launched her critically acclaimed EP “The Hurtbook”. We discuss to Alex about her journey within the music trade, her newest EP “The Hurtbook” in addition to her expertise working with legendary producer Rodney Jerkins within the studio. We additionally discuss her at the moment being on the highway with Ari Lennox in addition to upcoming plans.
YouKnowIGotSoul: We final spoke to you in 2017 at SOBs once you have been acting at Sol Village. Quick ahead a number of years and also you’re now on tour with Ari Lennox. Mirror again on what a younger Alex Vaughn could be feeling proper now about this journey that you just’ve been on since our final interview.
Alex Vaughn: Younger Alex could be tremendous pleased with me proper now. We caught to the imaginative and prescient and mission. It’s been a protracted journey and a number of moments the place we felt like we have been going within the mistaken path and considering it was one thing I wanted to alter inside myself, however we figured it out and we’ve gotten up to now. We’re proper on schedule and I really feel good.
YouKnowIGotSoul: The music trade isn’t simple and there’s at all times a number of uncertainty. How did you handle via all of that and keep on with the plan?
Alex Vaughn: First issues first, I undoubtedly needed to pray and I leaned my village. I’ve an incredible group and individuals who I can discuss to via these moments and I do know I can belief them with these susceptible moments. Typically you don’t know methods to navigate them by your self. I believe one of many largest issues is to know methods to discuss to myself and take a deep breath. It’s about instructing myself endurance and methods to be extra current so I’m not driving myself loopy about what isn’t occurring and I can put extra vitality into what is occurring. There are lot of wonderful issues occurring in actual time.
YouKnowIGotSoul: As an artist, I’m certain you’re impatient and tremendous crucial of your self. What’s it wish to hit all-time low a number of occasions and having to climb your self out of that? That should not be simple to undergo.
Alex Vaughn: No, it’s not. I believe it’s actually shifting my considering greater than something. After I get to those tremendous low moments the place once you’re creating, you simply suppose it’s the most effective factor ever. Now you’ve gotten one other channel of individuals to take heed to your artwork they usually have opinions, they could not have the identical opinions as yours and also you begin questioning whether or not you’re good at music or not. All of this stuff that simply begin to rabbit gap into one thing irrational and take your self right down to a spot you don’t must be. It’s actually like the way you discuss to your self. I’ve been practising constructive self discuss and I’ve been studying that that is all a part of the game. It’s not about capturing slam dunks each time. It’s nearly displaying up. When you come to phrases that the low moments are a part of the method, so long as you’re nonetheless displaying up, it turns into extra enjoyable. It simply takes the sting off and it helps you get again up for the subsequent problem.
YouKnowIGotSoul: I bear in mind again in 2017, we requested in the event you would contemplate signing with a significant label. Clearly the music trade has modified rather a lot since then and independence is the way in which to go at this level. You signed a significant label scenario with LVRN final 12 months, however from listening to the music it sounds such as you’re nonetheless have the ability to be your self. Speak about signing with them and what made you suppose it could be a great match for you?
Alex Vaughn: I’ve at all times wished to be sure that my music was protected and brought care of. I by no means wished my creativity to be tainted. By the graces of god, that occurred to be with a document label. LVRN is sort of a boutique label they usually’re actually selective into who they bring about into their house. They actually care concerning the music and the soul and preserving that. I received that vitality instantly wen I met them. It didn’t really feel like I used to be assembly an enormous machine. I really feel like I used to be assembly different folks that cared for the artwork and I might make eye contact with them. I can simply really feel like we’re all on the identical mission. My music is my child and I wish to be sure that if I’m going to be sharing my child with anybody that they’re able to handle it and nurture it in addition to I can. It’s been a fantastic partnership to date.
YouKnowIGotSoul: What do you suppose the label noticed in you as an artist?
Alex Vaughn: I bear in mind through the pandemic, they did an Instagram problem present and I randomly requested to get on. On the time, all you possibly can was nothing in your own home. I had a piano and I simply sing and performed. I believe they simply noticed me. I don’t suppose my hair was finished and I didn’t have on any make-up. I used to be simply singing an authentic music. They noticed my soul they usually knew music is the one language that I converse and that’s the language they converse. We realized we converse the identical language. *Laughs*
YouKnowIGotSoul: You first launched the “Voice Notes” EP. That undertaking was cool as a result of it let the listeners into your inventive house and listen to the music in its rawest kind. Speak about your mindset with placing out that EP.
Alex Vaughn: It’s humorous you ask about my mindset as a result of I used to be not on board with dropping that undertaking at first. These songs are actually voice notes, so they’re unedited. I wrote and created them within the privateness of my very own house they usually have been very susceptible moments. The songs have by no means been made into information, so as soon as I created them, I simply wished to get my feelings out and depart them there. In fact my group received a maintain of them after I performed it for them they usually have been like “These can’t sit in your cellphone, they must be launched”. I used to be slightly embarrassed as a result of there are some songs I create to get the thought off. Not each music is created to be launch, it’s similar to remedy. These tales specifically have been very darkish. As soon as I used to be in a position to get the music off, I simply erased the complete state of affairs from my mind. It was a cool lesson to faucet again into previous conditions and experiences and simply discovering a brand new approach to channel them and be okay with my susceptible moments. It was a course of, however I’m completely happy it’s out.
YouKnowIGotSoul: You additionally dropped your EP “The Hurtbook”. Speak about creating the EP as a result of it’s such a susceptible undertaking.
Alex Vaughn: Initially “The Damage E-book” was a compilation of affection tales between me and other people all through my life after which as I began to evolve and make totally different strikes for my profession, I observed there was a shift occurring not solely within the romantic side of my life but in addition in my friendships and finally my relationship with myself. These felt slightly deeper than the romantic issues I used to be experiencing and it damage. I didn’t wish to make a undertaking about despair, being unhappy or blaming it on different folks. I do know that my relationships are a mirrored image of myself so I wished to make a undertaking about self. It’s okay to expertise these feelings and it’s all a part of the rising course of. It’s like “You’re not damaged, you’re simply damage”. It’s a e-book of damage and emotions.
YouKnowIGotSoul: “Do You Ever” was the music that stood out to us due to the 2000’s vibe to it. I do know you labored with Rodney Jerkins on that one.
Alex Vaughn: Shout out to Rodney Jerkins! There was a writing camp for me again in Orlando final summer season with Rodney Jerkins. To be sincere, there’s not a lot of a glamorous story to “Do YOu Ever”. I walked into the room they usually already had that music finished on a loop. I used to be like “This songs like a Rodney Jerkins traditional!”. I instantly minimize it and it was a wrap.
YouKnowIGotSoul: The opposite one which stood out is “I’m Leaving”. It’s a tragic music, but it surely’s uplifting on the identical time.
Alex Vaughn: what’s so humorous? That’s one of many oldest songs on the undertaking. I wrote that in 2014 and I used to be fist combating the complete label to not put it out. It was loopy as a result of it’s previous and outdated. It was only a piano and voice memo at first, however that was the primary document Rodney heard of mine and he was like “I wish to work together with her”. That was one other lesson for me like I’ve to get out of my very own method at typically. To know that individuals even resonate with the music to at the present time and love the way in which it sounds and knew what I used to be making an attempt to get at, I’m glad it labored out.
YouKnowIGotSoul: “Mirage” is among the older information as effectively and that’s the music that received you signed. Speak about that one.
Alex Vaughn: That’s one other music that was initially a voice memo. It was simply two notes on the piano and I used to be doing it for 3 minutes. I used to be singing this unhappy music and getting my emotions damage. In the course of the pandemic, I used to be doing stay studio periods and we created the music round it so it’s not simply me banging on two notes. It’s simply loopy. I used to be writing a music in my most susceptible moments and I used to be upset. Then I blinked my eyes and that’s one of many first songs that the label hears and that’s the one they gravitate in direction of which led to me being signed. I’ve been making an attempt to determine what the science behind why folks love that music a lot. I believe I’m simply tremendous susceptible and I’m simply throwing myself on the market which may be very uncomfortable. It’s at all times the songs that you just suppose you’re going to maintain for your self that individuals need probably the most. I’m changing into snug with my vulnerability and being okay with sharing it.
YouKnowIGotSoul: After we first listened to “So Be It”, we thought it was a relationship document however listening to it deeper, it sounds prefer it was about your pal?
Alex Vaughn: “So Be It” was a few pal breakup. Me and certainly one of my finest mates have been going via a extremely robust time. It wasn’t like we have been having a struggle, however life was separating us. That was the primary music we labored on within the Rodney Jerkins periods. I bear in mind going into that session with Darkchild and I used to be like “I’ve to provide you with the most effective concepts and drink House Jam water!”. After I received into the room with the opposite songwriters, they have been like “What are you going via?”. I used to be like “I don’t have something on my thoughts. I’m going via a finest pal breakup!”. They have been like “I do know precisely how that emotions”. We went via some guitar loops and I began freestyling. We simply began phrase bombing every little thing out. “So Be It” damage but it surely was undoubtedly nearly relationships and about how some issues have to return to an finish and that’s okay.
YouKnowIGotSoul: “Talkin” is such an aggressive music!
Alex Vaughn: I used to be simply shocked too! After I first heard that document, I used to be scared myself however I used to be like “I really feel that!”. I’m a Scorpio and I really feel there’s an internal aggression that should come out. It’s not essentially to scare you, however to let it’s recognized that I’m not one to play with. So after I first that document and I had the chance to sing it, I used to be like “Maintain on!”. Then an actual time state of affairs occurred in my life that basically makes me say these phrases. It was simply life and the universe that introduced the entire document to life.
YouKnowIGotSoul: What’s arising for you?
Alex Vaughn: I’m on my first tour with my Ari Lennox. In fact you possibly can count on extra music and performances. I simply plan on being in every single place suddenly. I’ve received an deluxe model of “The Hurtbook” coming quickly too.
